Get ready to serve the community; that’s the purpose of NIU Cares Day.

NIU Cares Day is an annual event that brings NIU students and the DeKalb community together. Registration for NIU Cares Day began Feb. 5.

“We always strive to connect our student volunteers with meaningful service opportunities in the community,” said Becky Harlow, assistant director of Volunteerism Programs & Huskie Family Connections for Student Involvement and Leadership Development. This event allows NIU students, faculty members and staff to actively engage in the community.

“The need for help is greater than ever,” Harlow said. “They count on our support to be successful.”

Last year about 2,000 participants were involved in the event. The staff of SILD anticipate the numbers to grow.

“A lot of students don’t know that you don’t have to be a member of a student organization to sign up,” Harlow said. “We’ve had teams created from residence hall floors, classes, even groups of friends.”

Jasmine Dockery, sports psychology student, said she got involved with NIU Cares Day by seeing postings around campus.

“It’s a great experience to help others and especially the DeKalb community,” Dockery said. “It makes you appreciate community service.”

She said she would like to continue to volunteer as long as she lives in DeKalb.

“I wish they were more than just once a year,” she said. “I wish there were two or maybe one per semester.”

There are people in DeKalb who need assistance, and those that do have volunteers sent their way.

“We’ve also been able to begin branching the program into assisting individual residents (seniors, single mothers, etc.) with home needs such as clearing brush, refinishing homes, and massive cleaning,” Harlow said.

Students interested in helping don’t have to only participate in NIU Cares day; there are several other programs offered through SILD that involve community service.

“In addition to NIU Cares Day, we offer a monthly service project program called Huskie Paws for a Cause where we focus on a different community need or organization each month,” Harlow said.

Along with those programs, SILD has programs such as Rake Across DeKalb, Alternative Spring Break, a Volunteer Fair and year-round consultations with students eager to help in the community.

Harlow said it’s good to work with people in the community because they have a direct need. Those projects are the types that are the most meaningful to volunteers, she said.

“We hope to do much more of this in the future,” Harlow said.

NIU Cares Day is on Saturday, April 16. Priority registration continues until Friday, April 1.